Such pallet magazines for supplying machine tools with workpieces which must be machined and for removing the machined workpieces therefrom are known. For some cases of use, however, for example gear shaving machines, they are not entirely suitable. More specifically, the workpieces move at the rotational speed of the chain, which typically is approximately 80 to 100 mm/sec, from the separating mechanism to the working space of the machine and then removed from the working space. As a result, the workpiece exchange times are too long in relationship to the actual machining time.
Therefore, a basic purpose of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus suitable for carrying out such method, with which a quick workpiece exchange independent of the rotational speed of the chain can be carried out.